The Northwestern Andean montane forests (NT0145) is an ecoregion on the

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

mountains in the west of Colombia and Ecuador. Both flora and fauna are highly diverse due to effect of

ice age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gre ...

s when the warmer climate zones were separated and the cooler ones combined, and interglacial periods when the reverse occurred. Because the environment is hospitable to humans, the habitat has been drastically modified by farming and grazing since the

Pre-Columbian era In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, ...

Geography

Location

The Northwestern Andean montane forests ecoregion extends along the Cordillera Occidental (Western Range) of the Andes in Colombia and the Cordillera Occidental of Ecuador. It covers an area of . In the extreme north the ecoregion merges into the Magdalena–Urabá moist forests ecoregion. Through most of its length in Colombia it transitions on the west into the

Chocó–Darién moist forests The Chocó–Darién moist forests (NT0115) is an ecoregion in the west of Colombia and east of Panama. The region has extremely high rainfall, and the forests hold great biodiversity. The northern and southern parts of the ecoregion have been cons ...

and on the east into the Cauca Valley montane forests. The higher levels of the ecoregion give way to

Northern Andean páramo The Northern Andean páramo (NT1006) is an ecoregion containing páramo vegetation above the treeline in the Andes of Colombia and Ecuador. In the past, when the climate was cooler, the treeline and the páramo units were lower and the units were c ...

. In the central section it almost completely surrounds the

Patía Valley dry forests The Patía Valley dry forests (NT0225) is an ecoregion in southwestern Colombia. It covers a dry valley surrounded by mountains. The original habitat has mostly been destroyed by human activity, although a few pockets remain. Location The Patía V ...

. In its southern section the ecoregion transitions into the Western Ecuador moist forests to the west and the

Eastern Cordillera Real montane forests Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai * Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 *Eastern Air L ...

to the east. The southern end of the ecoregion transitions into the

Tumbes–Piura dry forests The Tumbes–Piura dry forests (NT0232) is an arid tropical ecoregion along the Pacific coasts of southern Ecuador and northern Peru. The ecoregion contains many endemic species of flora and birds adapted to the short wet season followed by a long ...

ecoregion.

Terrain

The ecoregion covers the western range of the Andes with a wide band of elevations including isolated peaks and massifs at the upper levels.

Climate

At a sample location at coordinates the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

is Af: equatorial, fully humid. Mean temperatures range from in November to in March. Total annual rainfall is about . Monthly rainfall ranges from in August to in June.

Ecology

The ecoregion is in the

neotropical The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone. Definition In bioge ...

realm, in the

tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (TSMF), also known as tropical moist forest, is a subtropical and tropical forest habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Description TSMF is generally found in large, discon ...

biome. It is part of the Northern Andean Montane Forests global ecoregion. This ecoregion contains the

Magdalena Valley montane forests The Magdalena Valley montane forests (NT0136) is an ecoregion in the Andes mountains of central Colombia. Geography Location The ecoregion covers the higher land on both sides of the valley of the Magdalena River in the Colombian Andes. The ri ...

Venezuelan Andes montane forests The Venezuelan Andes montane forests (NT0175) is an ecoregion in the northern arm of the Andes in Venezuela. It contains montane and cloud forests, reaching up to the high-level Cordillera de Merida páramo high moor ecoregion. The forests are hom ...

, Northwestern Andean montane forests, Cauca Valley montane forests,

Cordillera Oriental montane forests The Cordillera Oriental montane forests (NT0118) is an ecoregion in Venezuela and Colombia along the east slopes of the eastern cordillera of the Andes. The extensive region of submontane and montane forests includes distinctive flora and fauna in ...

Santa Marta montane forests The Santa Marta montane forests (NT0159) is an ecoregion in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, a massif on the Caribbean coast of northern Colombia. The ecoregion covers altitudes from near sea level up to around , where it gives way to Santa Marta ...

and

terrestrial ecoregions. The cooling during glacial periods isolated plants and animals adapted to warmer climates into isolated pockets, while the cooler zones expanded and became connected. During the warmer inter-glacial periods the warmer zones rose higher and reconnected, while the cooler zones became isolated. The result was steady formation of new species, creating high levels both of diversity and endemism.

Flora

The flora of the ecoregion have been the subject of many studies, in South America second only to the

and

High Monte The High Monte is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion in Argentina. Geography The High Monte is located on the eastern slopes of the Andes, extending from the vicinity of Salta (24º S) south to Mendoza (32º S). It is a landscape of ...

ecoregions. About 50% of the ecoregion's flora is strictly endemic. The flowering plant species are very diverse, with as many as 300 species in a single tract.

Fauna

Endangered mammals include

Baird's tapir The Baird's tapir (''Tapirus bairdii''), also known as the Central American tapir, is a species of tapir native to Mexico, Central America, and northwestern South America. It is the largest of the three species of tapir native to the Americas, as ...

(''Tapirus bairdii''), black-headed spider monkey (''Ateles fusciceps''),

cotton-top tamarin The cotton-top tamarin (''Saguinus oedipus'') is a small New World monkey weighing less than . This New World monkey can live up to 24 years, but most of them die by 13 years. One of the smallest primates, the cotton-top tamarin is easily recogn ...

(''Saguinus oedipus''),

equatorial dog-faced bat The equatorial dog-faced bat (''Cabreramops aequatorianus'') is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. It is endemic to Ecuador. They are found in dry, tropical forests. The species is now endangered. The equatorial dog-faced bat feeds on in ...

(''Molossops aequatorianus''), Geoffroy's spider monkey (''Ateles geoffroyi''),

Hammond's rice rat ''Mindomys hammondi'', also known as Hammond's rice rat or Hammond's oryzomys,Musser and Carleton, 2005, p. 1149 is an endangered species of rodent in the tribe Oryzomyini of family Cricetidae. Formerly considered to be related with ''Nect ...

(''Mindomys hammondi'') and mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque). Endangered reptiles include the Western Ground Snake ('' Atractus occidentalis''), Tropical Lightbulb Lizard ('' Riama oculata'') and Haensch's Whorltail Iguana ('' Stenocercus haenschi''). The ecoregion contains many endemic birds. Endangered birds include the

black-and-chestnut eagle The black-and-chestnut eagle (''Spizaetus isidori'') is a South American species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is sometimes called Isidor's eagle. It is often placed in the monotypic genus ''Oroaetus''. However, recent genetic ...

(''Spizaetus isidori''),

black-breasted puffleg The black-breasted puffleg (''Eriocnemis nigrivestis'') is a species of hummingbird native to Ecuador. It is Critically Endangered, with no more than 250 individuals remaining in the wild. Description The species reaches a length of 8–9 ...

(''Eriocnemis nigrivestis''),

chestnut-bellied flowerpiercer The chestnut-bellied flowerpiercer (''Diglossa gloriosissima'') is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is endemic to Colombia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical high-al ...

(''Diglossa gloriosissima''),

Chocó vireo The Chocó vireo (''Vireo masteri'') is a species of bird in the family Vireonidae that was discovered by Paul Salaman in 1991 and described in 1996. It is found in western Colombia and has recently been found in north-west Ecuador. Its natura ...

(Vireo masteri),

colorful puffleg The colorful puffleg (''Eriocnemis mirabilis'') is an Endangered species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to Colombia.HBW and BirdLife International (2020) ''Handbook of the Birds of ...

(''Eriocnemis mirabilis''), El Oro parakeet (''Pyrrhura orcesi''), gold-ringed tanager (''Bangsia aureocincta''), pale-headed brush finch (''Atlapetes pallidiceps''), rufous-brown solitaire (''Cichlopsis leucogenys''),

turquoise-throated puffleg The turquoise-throated puffleg (''Eriocnemis godini''), also known as Godin's puffleg, is a species of hummingbird from Ecuador. It is mostly green with blue undertail coverts and white powder-puffs of downy feathers on the legs, and the male has ...

(''Eriocnemis godini''), violet-throated metaltail (''Metallura baroni'') and

yellow-eared parrot The yellow-eared parrot (''Ognorhynchus icterotis'') is an endangered parrot of the tropics in South America. It is found in the Andes of Colombia. This species was thought to be extinct up until April 1999, when a group of researchers that we ...

(''Ognorhynchus icterotis''). Endangered amphibians include ''

Atelopus ''Atelopus'' is a large genus of Bufonidae, commonly known as harlequin frogs or toads, from Central and South America, ranging as far north as Costa Rica and as far south as Bolivia. ''Atelopus'' species are small, generally brightly colored, ...

'' stubfoot toads: * Azuay stubfoot toad (''

Atelopus bomolochos ''Atelopus bomolochos'', the Azuay stubfoot toad or Cuenca jambato frog, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to southern Ecuador and known from Cordillera Oriental in the Azuay, Cañar, and Loja Provinces. Description ...

'') * Rio Carauta stubfoot toad (''Atelopus carauta'') * Chocó stubfoot toad ('' Atelopus chocoensis'') * Rio Faisanes stubfoot toad ('' Atelopus coynei'') * '' Atelopus famelicus'' * Antado Stubfoot Toad ('' Atelopus galactogaster'') * Pirri harlequin frog ('' Atelopus glyphus'') * El Tambo stubfoot toad ('' Atelopus longibrachius'') * '' Atelopus lynchi'' * Mindo stubfoot toad (''

Atelopus mindoensis The Mindo stubfoot toad or Mindo harlequin-toad (''Atelopus mindoensis'') is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to Ecuador in Pichincha, Santo Domingo and Cotopaxi Provinces. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tro ...

'') * Niceforo's stubfoot toad ('' Atelopus nicefori'') ''

Centrolene ''Centrolene'' is a genus of glass frogs in the family Centrolenidae. The adult males are characterized by having a humeral spine, as most members of this family. The delimitation of this genus versus '' Cochranella'' is not fully resolved, and ...

'' glass frogs: * Burrowes' giant glass frog (''

Centrolene ballux ''Centrolene ballux'' is a species of frog in the family Centrolenidae. It is known from a few disjunct localities on the Pacific versant of the Cordillera Occidental in southern Colombia ( Nariño Department) and northern Ecuador ( Pichincha ...

'') * Pampas giant glass frog ('' Centrolene gemmatum'') * Pichincha Giant Glass Frog (''

Centrolene heloderma ''Centrolene heloderma'' is a species of frog in the family Centrolenidae from the Andes in Colombia and Ecuador. It is also known as Pichincha giant glass frog or bumpy glassfrog. Distribution In Colombia it has been recorded from the wester ...

'') * Lynch's giant glass frog (''

Centrolene lynchi ''Centrolene lynchi'', also known as Lynch's giant glass frog, Lynch's glassfrog, and the Tandayapa giant glass frog, is a species of frog in the family Centrolenidae. It is found in the Risaralda Department and Nariño Department on the Cord ...

'') ''

Pristimantis ''Pristimantis'' is a very large genus of frogs distributed in the southern Caribbean islands ( Lesser Antilles) and in Central and South America from Honduras to northern Argentina and southern Brazil. With 596 described species (as of October ...

'' rain frogs, or robber frogs: * Sharpsnout robber frog ('' Pristimantis acutirostris'') * Albericoi robber frog ('' Pristimantis albericoi'') * '' Pristimantis angustilineatus'' * Murri robber frog ('' Pristimantis bellona'') * Valle robber frog ('' Pristimantis cabrerai'') * Cacao robber frog ('' Pristimantis cacao'') * San Antonio robber frog ('' Pristimantis calcaratus'') * '' Pristimantis capitonis'' * '' Pristimantis chrysops'' * '' Pristimantis colomai'' * Spring robber frog ('' Pristimantis crenunguis'') * '' Pristimantis degener'' * '' Pristimantis deinops'' * '' Pristimantis dissimulatus'' * '' Pristimantis eugeniae'' * Nono robber frog ('' Pristimantis hamiotae'') * Urrao robber frog ('' Pristimantis johannesdei'') * Maldonado robber frog ('' Pristimantis loustes'') * '' Pristimantis mars'' * '' Pristimantis polychrus'' * Fern-loving rain frog ('' Pristimantis pteridophilus'') * Lynch's Pilalo robber frog ('' Pristimantis pyrrhomerus'') * Ricuarte robber frog ('' Pristimantis scolodiscus'') * Reserve robber frog ('' Pristimantis siopelus'') * ''

Pristimantis sobetes ''Pristimantis sobetes'' is a species of frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The ...

'' * Channel robber frog ('' Pristimantis sulculus'') * Cloud forest robber frog ('' Pristimantis surdus'') * Cerro Munchique robber frog ('' Pristimantis viridicans'') Other frogs: * Carchi Andes toad (''Rhaebo colomai'') * Mertens' rocket frog ('' Colostethus mertensi'') * '' Dendropsophus gryllatus'' * Cerro Munchique marsupial frog ('' Gastrotheca trachyceps'') * Pilalo tree frog (''Hyloscirtus ptychodactylus'') * Simmons' tree frog (''Hyloscirtus simmonsi'') * Loja Rocket Frog (''

Hyloxalus elachyhistus ''Hyloxalus elachyhistus'' is a species of frog in the family Dendrobatidae. It is found in southern Ecuador (both versants of the Andes) and northern Peru, in the Huancabamba Depression and south to Cajabamba Province. Description ''Hyloxalus ...

'') * '' Hyloxalus toachi'' * Boulenger's rocket frog ('' Hyloxalus vertebralis'') * '' Nymphargus luminosus'' *

Lehmann's poison frog Lehmann's poison frog or the red-banded poison frog (''Oophaga lehmanni'') is a species of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae Poison dart frog (also known as dart-poison frog, poison frog or formerly known as poison arrow frog) is the common n ...

(''Oophaga lehmanni'') * Blue-spotted toad (''

Rhaebo caeruleostictus ''Rhaebo caeruleostictus'' is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to Ecuador and occurs along the lower western slope of the Cordillera Occidental at elevations of asl. The specific name ''caeruleostictus'', from Latin ...

'') * Santa Rita beaked toad ('' Rhinella macrorhina'') * Mesopotamia beaked toad ('' Rhinella rostrata'') * Rio Pitzara robber frog ('' Strabomantis helonotus'') * Ruiz's robber frog ('' Strabomantis ruizi'')

Status

The

World Wide Fund for Nature The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the W ...

(WWF) gives the region the status of "Vulnerable". The climate is hospitable to humans, who have lived in the region since pre-Columbian times, farming and grazing livestock. The environment has thus been greatly modified, although there are still some sizable stands of continuous forest stands. Protected areas include the Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve.

Notes

Sources

* * * * * {{authority control Ecoregions of Colombia Ecoregions of Ecuador Andean forests Neotropical tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests Montane forests